SYMPTOMS: When I run a slightly unbalanced load on my 120/240v split phase US home I get a substantial voltage drop on the loaded leg and a equally substantial voltage JUMP on the opposite leg.
If I balance out the load, the voltages return to normal.
EXAMPLEs: If I run the microwave (rated ~13amps) on the black leg, the voltage on the same black leg drops from 123 to about 109 and the voltage on the red leg jumps to 133.
If I then run the vacuum (rated ~12amps) at the same time but on the red leg the voltages on both red and black legs return to 122-123ish range.
If I then stop the microwave on the black leg (now only the vacuum on the red leg is running) the voltage on the red leg drops to about 110 and the voltage on the black leg jumps to about 135.
All the while the voltage from red to black remains around 245
I dont know if this is a typical phenomon or not but it has become very prominent over the last day. At one point this morning when the microwave was running I briefly saw the voltage on the microwave circuit dip below 100v (maybe my roommate had her curling iron on or something). Anyone have a clue what I should look for????
At first I thought it was my microwave going bad, but now that I've plugged in other larger loads (vacuum, toaster, space heater) I find that it happens with all of them ...
I havent blown any fuses (yes, I still have a fuse panel -- tho its on my list to upgrade to a breaker box) but I have gone as far as literally removing ALL of the fuses from the panel EXCEPT for the microwave circuit and the same occurs.
If I balance out the load, the voltages return to normal.
EXAMPLEs: If I run the microwave (rated ~13amps) on the black leg, the voltage on the same black leg drops from 123 to about 109 and the voltage on the red leg jumps to 133.
If I then run the vacuum (rated ~12amps) at the same time but on the red leg the voltages on both red and black legs return to 122-123ish range.
If I then stop the microwave on the black leg (now only the vacuum on the red leg is running) the voltage on the red leg drops to about 110 and the voltage on the black leg jumps to about 135.
All the while the voltage from red to black remains around 245
I dont know if this is a typical phenomon or not but it has become very prominent over the last day. At one point this morning when the microwave was running I briefly saw the voltage on the microwave circuit dip below 100v (maybe my roommate had her curling iron on or something). Anyone have a clue what I should look for????
At first I thought it was my microwave going bad, but now that I've plugged in other larger loads (vacuum, toaster, space heater) I find that it happens with all of them ...
I havent blown any fuses (yes, I still have a fuse panel -- tho its on my list to upgrade to a breaker box) but I have gone as far as literally removing ALL of the fuses from the panel EXCEPT for the microwave circuit and the same occurs.